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The creators also believe the concept will help reconnect communities as they get in touch and share meals.

The website says that the app is for people ‘who hate the idea of throwing out food, but also don't want to be eating the same leftovers for the next few days.’

LeftoverSwap (mockup of app pictured) could help you get rid of that overindulgent takeaway

It says: ‘LeftoverSwappers don't feel the need to eat an enormous restaurant portion, and instead pass it on to a hungrier neighbour, in turn learning their name and avoiding excess calories.

‘Through increasing the efficiency of each plot of land dedicated to food production, we can reduce our intensive use of natural resources, and reduce our expansion into sensitive environmental areas.

The site points out that research has shown that 40 per cent of the food we produce goes to waste.

However, there are suspicions that the app is a hoax.

The app’s websitefeatures a ridiculous graph predicting that as more people use the app and reduce their food waste, there will be a rise in the Spotted Brown Owl population

But developers are adamant the concept is genuine.

Seattle entrepreneur Dan Newman says he
and his friend Bryan Summersett conceived the idea for LeftoverSwap several years ago,when they ordered too much pizza and couldn’t fit the
remaining portions in the fridge, according to a report byuproxx.com.

Good sense of humour or hint of a hoax? Some believe the new app is a prank but the developers maintain they are very serious about the concept

They said that at first it was just a joke but that over the past three years the concept seems to have made increasing sense.

'We were like, "We don’t want to throw this out, and it would just be great to broadcast that we have extra pizza to share",' he recalls.

The idea really started to take shape after Mr Newman hosted a 'couch surfer' in his apartment who lived as a 'freegan' - meaning he only ate from other people’s plates, or from the bins.

'That was enough to spark initiative in me,' Newman said.

It is not clear when the app will be launched.

The website says: 'We're currently building out LeftoverSwap and are aiming to release it for the iPhone as soon as possible with an Android version coming after.'